This is the message given by Pastor Danny Kim at the Vancouver, Washington Seventh-day Adventist church on 22 November 2014. The recorded mp3 file is below the text notes I made.
In 1994, the world experienced one of the greatest matches in football history.
Italy played Brazil at the Rose Bowl stadium in California.
The game had no goals scored after the 2 forty-five minute periods had passed.
When a football match ends in no score, both teams select players to make penalty kicks from about 11 meters from the goal.
Brazil had made 3 goals on penalty kicks and Italy had made 2.
Italy’s star player was the next player to take a free kick and he had to make it for the match to continue. His mission was to make the goal as the whole nation of Italy was watching.
Roberto Baggio shot far over the goal, and the last missed kick of the tournament was what made Brazil World Champion for the 4th time. It was surely the most memorable moment of the match.
Roberto Baggio’s tears are probably more remembered than the Brazilian celebrations, as this great and fair player had missed at the most important moment, although he was also the one to be credited for Italy getting this far.
Jesus Christ was also on a mission. Jesus came to this earth from His Heavenly home 2,000 years ago.
Jesus Christ was crucified on a wooden cross like a common criminal. On the Cross, Jesus had the pressure of the whole world on His shoulders. Jesus was thinking of you. Even though Jesus was experiencing excruciating pain, He made the request of His Brother John to take care of His Mother Mary.
Jesus said everything by His Actions.
Who Are the Victors ?
Zechariah 4:6
So he answered and said to me:
“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Romans 8:31-39
God’s Everlasting Love
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are not here on this earth for ourselves.
Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
We are sons & daughters of God. If your team loses, just remember that it is only a game. We must let our pride & righteousness go. We need Christ & His righteousness.
The next time we are challenged, we should keep our mouth shut just like Jesus did when He was questioned by the Religious leaders and the Roman authorities.
We have to give up our anger and need to get in the last word. Bless those who curse you.
Let us live for Jesus and not for ourselves.